The Messenger: Yamaha XS400 by Analog

If you detect a feminine influence on this elegant Yamaha XS400, well spotted. It’s the latest from Analog’s Tony Prust, built for a customer’s wife, and he’s taken his signature clean finish to a new level. The customer was Mike Tomasian, who contacted Prust after seeing Analog’s groundbreaking S2RD at a show. He sent Prust several ideas that his wife liked, and Prust picked out key elements before starting the build.

The first step was lacing up a pair of custom-painted aluminum 18” x 2.15” wheels, with spokes powdercoated in a transparent brass powder. Then Prust freshened up the front forks, and replaced the rear shocks with a set of Gazi Sport Lites.

The engine was taken apart and finished in a mix of powdercoat and polish. K&N pod filters and open exhausts (with 3” baffles) wake the bike up a little bit.

Prust then modified the frame to accommodate a new vinyl-and-Alcantara ‘bump stop’ seat. He wrapped the grips in Alcantara, and after making the side cover cases, had them wrapped in matching vinyl by his upholsterer, Rod’s Design.

To give the stock Yamaha XS400 tank a better look, Prust dished in the sides. The tank is now painted in a flat black and gloss white two-tone by Kiel from Crown Auto Body, with a brass/gold pinstripe by Brando. There’s a matching color scheme on the bobbed front fender, headlight bucket and rims. A custom bracket holds the Bates-style headlight—with brass trim ring—and Prust relocated the electronics formerly in the stock headlight to underneath the tank.

A brass taillight found on eBay was molded into the seat. The front turn signals are vintage BMW knockoffs, mounted to drag bars, and the rears are a small polished aluminum set of aftermarket units. Prust has kept the battery in the usual Yamaha XS400 location, but mounted side bags to the box. A small aftermarket speedo/tach finished off the job, with the key relocated to clean up the dash further.

The result is super-clean and bound to be fun to ride, with a bonus in the smart detailing—just check the fit of the sidebags underneath the seat.